Swimming Lessons @ Sporting Village

I think I have mentioned before that both boys have been going swimming religiously on a weekly basis since about 8-10 weeks of age. They are both extremely confident in the water and can both swim without any buoyancy aids. I am very proud that I have taught them everything they know about swimming so far, but I have have pretty much reached the limit of what I know to do with them to progress any further. So what they really need now is some proper tuition and to learn some technique.

 

Previously we tried booking Joshua in to a swimming class at the David Lloyd, but after one session he did not take to it at all. The reason for this is because he has made the link that swimming at the David Lloyd is fun time with Daddy and not time to listen to an instructor in a more disciplined class structure. He did not want to be in the class, he simply wanted to go and jump in the play side of the pool and do his own thing.

 

So the solution we have come up with is to take them to the Basildon Sporting Village to use a different pool with different children, a new instructor and no Mummy or Daddy in the water with them. The plan is that the David Lloyd becomes their fun pool time with Daddy and the Sporting Village is for their swimming classes. I have to say I was extremely nervous about how this would go and was worried that I had potentially wasted a lot of money on a term long course that neither of them would partake in.

 

Joshua and Brandon all ready for their first swimming class and looking a bit nervous and excited at the same time. Joshua has to wear a yellow cap and Brandon the orange.

The swimming classes went a dream and both boys were absolutely outstanding. They were in different pools with a different instructor due to the difference in their abilities. So Tina took Brandon in and I took Joshua. At first Joshua went all shy but his instructor was very, very good and welcomed him into the group. One of our other concerns was that both boys had been put into a class that was too advanced for them due to their current abilities. However they were spot on and Joshua had absolutely no problem keeping up with the other children that have been going to classes longer than he has and he managed to do everything that was asked of him. The 30 min class went so quickly.

 

Today they had Joshua swimming doggie paddle, breast stroke, front crawl and then back stroke. After that they used floats to firstly practise the leg kicks by holding it with two hands and then they had to hold the float with one arm and do a front crawl arm stroke with the other arm (I think I would struggle with that one). 

 

Little B was in the smaller pool and all of the kids were using one of the tube floats under their arms and then practising the hand movement for doggie paddle and concentrating on kicking their legs. As with Joshua, Brandon had no problems keeping up with the class and did phenomenal when you consider he can be very shy and usually would not do something like this without me or Tina holding his hand (so to speak).

After a good, hard, (but fun) swimming class both the boys get showered off and then off home to bed.

Both boys are now keen and excited to go back next week so I couldn't be happier with this result, and to make things even better Joshua got "Star of the Day" at school today for outstanding phonics.